86 BUNTING AND SPORTING NOTES. 



been aware of such an earth in a gorse of mine for years, 

 which had cheated ns of many a run, but I never saw 

 the earth until after the gorse was burnt, and even then it 

 was the home of a litter of cubs. Natural earths, 

 however, are not so likely to be made in a covert such as- 

 this, where it is planted on pretty level ground. If on 

 the side of a bank, like Peele's Gorse for instance, the 

 place is sure to be honeycombed. In the exuberance of 

 my youth, and hot-headed love for all that pertained to 

 fox preservation, I once brought from Epsum Downs a 

 lot of seedling gorse to plant in Wales. The late Mr. 

 Studd, Lord of the Manor, was trying to rid the six mile 

 hill of gorse, so as to improve the training gallops, and 

 I obtained leave to take the yearling shoots, with which 

 I planted a covert that I called "■ Derby Gorse," and a 

 great success it was. As I write the mask of one of its 

 heroes complacently looks at me, inspiring me with a 

 remembrance of that 3rd of March, 1879, when he 

 contributed so gloriously to our enjoyment. On looking 

 through some note books of a loved one, who will never 

 again cheer us with his company in these sub-lunary 

 hunting fields, I chanced upon his account of this very 

 run, and perhaps in such a hungry tmie as this any old 

 crumb may be of comfort to your sporting readers that 

 has a genuine ring about it ; so that I may be forgiven 

 if I quote his diary on this Derby Gorse fox. '' Met at 

 Pilleth. Found at once in Derby Gorse, Bob putting 

 in on the west side. Away over the top with the hounds 

 close at him, over Morris's ground, crossing the lane to 

 the right of the Warren, where they checked, letting 

 most of the field up who had got a bad start. Hannibal 

 hit him down Gwernaffel Dingle, and down co the 

 Gwalse Wood, where he had loitered, and we raced him 

 away through the Frydd, and, turning down, crossed the 

 Presteign road near the turnpike, and on to Farrington 

 ground, by the Withy tree, and over the Meeting House 

 Hill, past Carter's and over the Stone Wall Hill, down 

 to Willey Lodge, where I thouglit we were going to 

 catch him, as he almost passed through the foldyard. 

 But this gallant fox was on, and over Harley's Mountain 

 — a fearful pull for the horses, now reduced to five or 

 six — across the big fields of the Farlands, to the Lingen 



